19980902035299A

On 09/02/98 @ approx. 1805 eastern daylight time, usairways flight 1722, a Douglas DC-9-31 registration N927VJ, landed at phl on rwy 27R. Phl tower cleared flt 1722 for a right turn at taxiway K-4 and to spot 4. Phl ground was contacted by flt 1722 prior to reaching spot 4 and phl ground cleared flt 1722 to gate B-8. Philadelphia police department complaint or incident report provides that while crossing the phl outer service road, at the intersection between concourse a and b, enroute to gate B-8, flt 1722 struck a fuel truck operated by aircraft service international group (ASI) and received severe damage to the left wing, leading edge of the aircraft. The operator of the fuel truck had recently transferred to phl on a temporary duty assignment. The accident driver had received two days on-the-job training. He had passed the phl AOA test and was on his third day of working the phl ramp. The accident driver states that he stopped at the hold mark for the intersection between concourse a and b. a B-737 was to the fuel trucks right, on taxiway juliet. Looking to the left the driver states he saw nothing coming up the alleyway between concourses a and b. looking to the right was the B-737 which was not moving. The driver states that he saw nothing else moving so he proceeded into the intersection. Looking to the right again the driver saw the DC-9 moving toward to tanker. The driver states that he stopped the tanker and was attempting to reverse the truck when the aircraft struck the tanker. There were no visible skid marks left from the tanker when this inspector arrived at the accident scene @ approx. 0900 on 09/02/98. The pilot of flt 1722 states, in a written statement provided to the NTSB, that he cleared the left side of the aircraft and proceeded toward the gate area. Just prior to entering the alleyway between concourse a and b, his periphal vision caught an object to this left. He immediately applied full brakes and immediately felt something contact the aircraft. There was 47 feet of skid mark from the aircraft's left main landing gear visible at the time that this inspector arrived at the accident scene @ approx, 0900 on 09/03/98. Emergency equipment was called. No fuel leaked from the aircraft and only a small amount which was contained by ground support leaked from the fuel truck. The fuel truck had almost 5000 gallons onboard. The pax where not evacuated. An airstair was brought to the aircraft. The pax deplaned via the airstair and were bused to the terminal. No injuries were reported at the time of the accident. Review of requested tower, ground operations and ramp control tapes was conducted by this inspector. They confirm that flight 1722 was cleared to spot 4 and also to gate B-8. They confirm the pilots statement that he saw something from his left peripheral, but didn't know what hit the aircraft. Conversation with ramp control has the flight crew of flight 1722 questioning what hit them and what is their status. The B-737 that was waiting on taxiway juliet at the time of this accident (usairways flight 1941) is on the ramp control tape with a statement that the first officer saw the entire event. Statements on the ramp control tape from the flight crew of flight 1941 contradict the fuel truck driver statement in that they state that the fuel truck rolled through the intersection and failed to stop at the appropriate hold mark. The accident aircraft was hangared at phl while repairs were made to get the aircraft into a ferry flight condition. The aircraft (N927VJ) was ferried to pittsburgh on 09/05/98 where permanent repairs will be accomplished. (.4) the DC-9-30 cleared the runway and was taxiing into an alleyway entrance between terminal concourses, when it's left wing struck a fuel truck that was traveling on a service road. The fuel truck, traveling from left to right, came from behind a stopped airplane. The fuel truck was about 150 feet beyond the vehicle stop sign. The airplane's left main landing gear tire left skid marks 47 feet in length on the ramp. The fuel truck driver reported he had stopped at the stop sign prior to crossing the alleyway entrance. The stop sign only required a stop if aircraft was present. In addition, drivers were taught that airplanes had the right of way over vehicles. The fuel truck driver's visibility to the right was restricted by equipment on the truck and the stopped airplane. The pilot's visibility to the left was restricted by the stopped airplane. When the fuel truck driver observed the airplane, stopped and was attempting to back out of the way when he was struck by the airplane.